ACLU-NJ Applauds Bergen County Sheriff’s Decision to Hold Off on Military Vehicle Acquisition

News reports this morning indicated that Bergen County Sheriff Michael Saudino has announced his intention to delay the acquisition of two mine-resistant ambush-protected vehicles (MRAPs) for the Bergen County Sheriff’s Department from the Department of Defense. The ACLU of New Jersey sent Sheriff Saudino a letter (PDF) on August 1 urging him to withdraw the department’s application for the vehicles.

In response to the Sheriff’s announcement, the following is a statement from Ari Rosmarin, public policy director at the ACLU of New Jersey.

“We applaud Sheriff Saudino for listening to Bergen County residents and putting the brakes on his plan to bring two battlefield vehicles to the streets of Bergen County. As the ACLU-NJ cautioned weeks ago, militarizing local law enforcement could come with troubling ramifications for Bergen County communities, and the people of Bergen County must have a chance to weigh in before such a decision is made in their name.

Bergen County is not a war zone. The ACLU-NJ continues to urge Sheriff Saudino and other Bergen County policymakers to withdraw the request for armored vehicles and to reject the militarization of county law enforcement.”

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